What If…Ice Cube Quit Rapping?

Ice Cube rounded out the group NWA, which was comprised of Eazy-E, MC Ren, Dr. Dre, DJ Yella and a host of other characters including The D.O.C. and Arabian Prince.

They are responsible for numerous songs and trends that still resonate within the rap industry and beyond to his day. After years of being together, It was discovered that Eazy was swindling his partners out of money with the help of Jerry Heller, Ruthless Records’ silent-but-deadly puppet master. As a result of these reptilian activities, Cube broke wide, left the group he unofficially led, and began his own reign over rap music. But what if…he quit instead?

We wouldn’t have received Amerikka’s Most Wanted and Death Certificate, 2 of rap’s most important albums. And “No Vaseline,” arguably the greatest diss record ever, would have never came to fruition. O’Shea Jackson would have likely gone back to architecture school, where Eazy-E baited him from. Cube would probably be a mildly successful city planner for some rural city in Northern California by now.

If Cube had given up, there would have been no Friday movies. That means Chris Tucker’s run through Hollywood may have never occured at the same velocity. And the same could be said for Katt Williams. Maybe even Terry Crews also. That means phrases like, “YOU GOT KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT!” and the newly-minted, “Bye, Felicia,” would still be floating lifelessly in space.

Aside from that, dozens of careers were created or revitalized via the Friday franchise.

And we can only assume how the other members of NWA would have fared. If Cube didn’t hype things up with inflammatory insults and egregious insinuations, maybe the group would have disbanded immediately. Maybe MC Ren would have gone forward to fill the spot in Hip Hop that Ice Cube’s imaginary departure would have definitely left vacant. Remember, Ren was militant when Cube was still rapping to chicks about “driving a bucket.” It would have made total sense had he become the trailblazing gangsta rapper that Ice Cube became if there were no Ice Cube. To that degree, picture Dr. Dre having similar “Fuck this rap shit!” moments on the heels of Cube’s abrupt exit. That would translate to no Death Row records. No Aftermath records. Possibly, no Eminem or 50 Cent at all.

These guys are celebrating because they just ended racism through rap music.

Perhaps the most frightening aspect of them all is that – if Ice Cube had stopped rapping, “Today Was A Good Day” would not exist. I shudder to think of such a reality.